On the far western edge of the Daitoku-ji complex, the sublime garden of this subtemple is one of the best in Kyoto and worth a special trip. It’s located within a fine bamboo grove that you traverse via a moss-lined path. Once inside there is a small stroll garden that leads to the centrepiece: a rectangle of moss and maple trees, backed by bamboo. Take some time on the verandah here to soak it all up.


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1. Zuihō-in

0.06 MILES

A subtemple of Daitoku-ji, Zuihō-in enshrines the 16th-century Christian daimyō (domain lord) Ōtomo Sōrin. In the early 1960s, a landscape architect named…

2. Daisen-in

0.19 MILES

The two small Zen gardens in this subtemple of Daitoku-ji are elegant examples of 17th-century kare-sansui style. Here the trees, rocks and sand are said…

3. Daitoku-ji

0.19 MILES

For anyone with the slightest fondness for Japanese gardens, don't miss this network of lanes dotted with atmospheric Zen temples. Daitoku-ji, the main…

4. Ryōgen-in

0.2 MILES

Ryōgen-in is a fine subtemple in the Daitoku-ji complex. It has two pleasing gardens, one moss and one kare-sansui. The kare-sansui has an interesting…

5. Ōbai-in

0.21 MILES

If you are lucky enough to be in Kyoto during autumn, one of the seasons this subtemple of Daitoku-ji is opened to the public, you should make an effort…

6. Orinasu-kan

0.71 MILES

This atmospheric, and usually quiet, museum, housed in a Nishijin weaving factory, has impressive exhibits of Nishijin textiles.

7. Kinkaku-ji

0.78 MILES

Kyoto's famed 'Golden Pavilion', Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. The main hall, covered in brilliant gold leaf, shining above its…

8. Kitano Tenman-gū

0.93 MILES

The most atmospheric Shintō shrine in northwest Kyoto, Kitano Tenman-gū is also the site of Tenjin-San Market, one of Kyoto’s most popular flea markets…